Pla Daek Thai Esan Food

The Thai restaurant on Oakland’s Piedmont Avenue specializes in Esan dishes from the northeastern region of Thailand, like tender pork belly and bamboo shoots steamed in a banana leaf, or funky duck larb. The menu is long, covering everything from curries and soups to wok-fried noodle dishes, all of which are jam-packed with spicy, sweet, and salty flavors. But one bite into the crispy roti with the side of yellow curry, and you’ll know this place is something special. The flaky, chewy layers soak up the rich curry really nicely—this should definitely be on your table. Pla Daek works just as well for a casual weeknight drop-in as it does for a boozy weekend dinner (they have a great list of cocktails and beer).